Marrok watches as Athena takes a snap at Yark. She then lunges at him and stops just short of mauling him. The ring on his finger glowed white for a second. Immediately Marrok was thrown several meters away. It felt like a bomb just went off in front of him. trying to stand he is a bit dizzy; his ears ringing. He stumbles back to where Athena was and now she sits in an enormous crater. *I'll not leave you my love, but I will not fight you either.* Barely standing he approaches her.

In his mind, *Yark. When she lunged at me and then stopped the ring on my finger glowed almost white for a second. Does that mean anything?* Yark thinks, flipping through all the knowledge he has accumulated in his years as protector.

Yark watched as Athena smiled rising, "Well that was quite impressive Athena, but alas all you've done is wear yourself out." Baring her fangs Athena snarled at Marrok, her eyes filled with tears as she felt the transformation come upon her, feeling herself get pushed back against the barrier, silenced once more. Athena crouched in the pit, a bow and arrow in her hands, her arrow was trained at Marroks heart, her hand shook as she again rose to fight, her golden eyes shinned with the effort, but she was weakening, Makis smiled as forced Athena to draw the bow tight against her, "Looks like this is the end Marrok." Laughing as Athenas body shook with effort, breaking through her voice pleaded with Marrok on the edge of tears, "Please Marrok...I beg you.."

Yark who had been watching intently suddenly shouted in Marroks mind, "Yes that's it, destroy your ring! Its the connection that needs to be severed."

Marrok still a bit stunned from the blast closes his eyes. Focusing on his mate and the love he has for her. He can feel the rush of power that surges into his body. His hands tingle with energy. As Athena lets the arrow fly, Marrok utters with his mind and his soul, *I love you Athena.* With the arrow just an inch from his heart he lets out a powerful burst of energy. Not knowing whether it worked, he opens one eye. Then the other, to see that he did it. He stopped time in the entire realm. Yark is up in a tree flapping his wings but still. Athena is in the pit with an unnatural grin on her face. The arrow is only an inch from his heart. It is taking all his focus to keep time in place. He slides the ring off his finger and lines it up with the arrow against his chest. The sudden force of starting time again will give the arrow increased momentum. It could very well pierce the ring and then his heart. He closes his eyes again, only thinking of his love. With a smile he releases time and the arrow shatters the ring and then hits him in the shoulder with such force that he is knocked back and off his feet, slamming to the ground. It happens so fast that it appears to Athena and Yark that Makis succeeded. Marrok lays there with an arrow in him, not moving. The broken ring tumbles out of his hand.

Athena felt the barrier weaken, screaming as she watched Marrok get hit from her prison. All she could do was stand by as he froze time and put his ring in front of him. Crying out in anger Athena pushed forward with what she had left, in control of her body and breaking the barrier Athena transformed back into a wolf and surged past Marrok, slamming into a large boulder that rested just behind him, she felt the crystal begin to crack on her forehead, slamming herself forward again, blood began to poor from the skull as she slammed into the rock again and again, she heard Yark scream for her to stop.

Suddenly she as she reared up to slam against the boulder once more she felt the pendent fly from her forehead and shatter. Falling to the ground Athena looked over at Marrok weakly, fearing for his life Athena rose baring her fangs and calling on what power she had left, a white light surrounded her, spreading rapidly...lifting her head into a howl, the light consumed and spread healing all that it touched. Lowering her head, her legs shook with exhaustion as she fell to the ground utterly spent.

The arrow that was embedded in Marrok's shoulder just disappeared as the healing white light consumed his body. The wound sealed itself and Marrok awakens from his trauma. He sits up and looks around to see Athena lying on the ground exhausted from her ordeal. *Yark. Gather the others and tell them all is clear. We need to get a group scouting again. I am taking her to the den to rest.* Yark flies away to do what Marrok asks. Marrok gets up and walks over to his love. He kneels down and says, *You did good my love.* She looks up at him with a tired gaze. He teleports them to their nearby den where he has spread out some animal skins to make a furry bed. He lays Athena on the skins on her side and sits next to her with a flask of water. *Drink my love.* As she rests, he caresses her fur starting at her neck and moving to her side. Her soft white fur is warm to the touch. Marrok looks at his arm for a wound or scar and none exists. *Nice.* Even though he has no wounds, he is exhausted as well. It seems the two of them have been at this since meeting each other. There never seems time to just rest. They must rid this realm of Makis and WolfBane before there is nothing left to save.

Athena laid her head down to rest but it wasn't long before she felt Yark enter her mind, she could feel his worry. Smiling she whispered, "You really don't have to worry so much, I've got this handled." She saw roll his eyes in her heart, "Sure you do....you just keep telling yourself that..and we might survive this." Chuckling lightly Athena rose looking at her mate with weary eyes, "The day is still young, we have to press forward, we can't stay here any longer."

"But you need to rest. The pack are taking care of our defenses and Yark is out gathering everyone. Why not take the time and rest here with me. You can't keep pushing yourself like this." Marrok maybe has selfish reason for wanting her to stay, but a rest after what just happened would not be bad for the both of them.

Athena tilted her ears back, and whispered, "Makis is moving the pack, and I know were it is, if we head out now we can overcome him within days." Looking out of the makeshift den she added, "And the clan is getting tense, they won't stay another night here, to much blood has been spilled on this ground."

Marrok knows she is right, but he still wants his mate with him. "Ok. What do we need to do first?* Marrok leans over and kisses her muzzle, before standing and stretching. With a flash of blue he transforms into the wolf inside him. This must be the demand that is required of the Alpha of a pack.

Slowly rising, Athena tested out her limps, everything felt normal, but she had a killer headache, dried blood rested on her forehead, "We need to gather the clan at the meeting place, then head to the south, Makis will be waiting on us. I want the younger elementals to seek training with the older ones." Looking away Athena added softly, "Me and you will take care of Makis, and as for Wolfbane...." Cutting off Athena shuttered as she remembered what the wolf had said in the Red Meadows.

*I will head to the elementals den and have them begin training. Yark should have gathered most. Why not call the rest in and then let us meet at the southern ridge." And with that Marrok was off to the northern dens. Hopefully the pack will follow. Most are desperate wolves from broken packs. If we are to succeed, we will need everyone to work together.

Athena watched with worried eyes as he left, sighing softly she looked to the sky, her heart was still heavy with questions, rising she lifted her head and howled to the clan, closing her eyes and teleporting to the meeting place, stepping up on the large boulder she called out to the gathering clan, "The time has come, we head out to the Balkers land." Many of the wolves mumbled to themselves, a dark colored wolf, his fur tinted with purple rose from the circle and lifted his tail to Alpha postion, "I challenge your athority to order the clan." Athena rose the fur on her back beginning to rose, "This is not the time for dominance games!" Snarling she bared her fangs jumping down, the Dragga snarled and lifted his head, "You can not refuse a challenge."

Marrok reaches the elementals and talks with their remaining leaders. They are all scared, but they eventually agree that to seperate now would mean utter death for them and everyone else. They place their trust in Athena and her mate. They all head towards the gathering area to meet up with the rest of the pack. There are quite a few elemental pups without homes. They will need to be watched over and later placed with families. On their way they seek out Zera and her little one. Zera is still loyal to the Alphas and joins the rest of the group. They hear a commotion up ahead as they reach the rest of the pack.

Athena bared her fangs fully raising her tail and lowering her head, the two wolves circled one anther, the Dragga was large for an elemental, the circle of wolves howled in response, growling and snarling in excitement. Flattening her ears back, he attacked first aiming for her neck, Athena snapped at him, the two wolves rose up both trying to get a weak point on the other. Athena felt his sharp claws scrap her hid.

Marrok makes his way through the pack to see Athena in a fight with a large elemental wolf. "What is the meaning of this." Other wolves shout, someone challenged the Alpha. Marrok bright blue eyes burned with anger. He knows that he cannot interfere, but wants to rip the limbs off that wolf. He must show restraint as his mate was the one challenged and not him. If he were to interfere, she would look weak to the pack. His anger quickly changes to worry, because he knows she has not had enough rest. He lets out a low growl, but does not approach.

Falling back Athena snarls as her blood flows free, the purple Dragga grins and charges again, using her sharp claws, she pushes him to the side. Flipping around and diving for his belly Athena leaves her back fully open, enraged at being thrown into the dirt, the Dragga closes his jaws on Athenas back leg, snapping the strong, but fragile bone there, crying out in pain, Athenas jaws seek the soft underbelly, sinking her teeth into his side, Athena could taste the copper in his blood. Her leg burned as the wolves struggled in a grid lock for a second, suddenly the Dragga pushed and flipped Athena over, growling in shock Athena hit the ground hard. She watched with fierce eyes as the Dragga go for the tender flesh on her neck, quickly rising she meet him, scrapping to the bone at his chest.

Marrok turns his head at the fight. He cannot watch anymore. His paws dig into the ground hard and he snaps at another wolf that happens to bump into him. What is he to do? His fur is on end and his power surges through him. He is furious. Many near him back away to give him some breathing room.

Yark flutters nearby, as both the wolves separate, Athena raises her back leg, whincing in pain. Baring her fangs as the Dragga circles, she could see that he was in a lot of pain as well, her fangs had driven deep and her claws had cut him to the bone, not taking her eyes off him Athena raised her tail, snarling the Dragga raised his and charged again, bracing herself Athena leapt forward as he landed across her back, pushing up Athena shoved him into the dirt, straddling his back, she quickly closed her jaws around his neck, feeling the hard, fast pulse beat beneath her fangs. He struggled, Athena clinched down tighter, cutting off his oxigen. Gasping the Dragga lay still snarling, the crowd had gone quiet as Athena lessened her jaws, giving him room to breath.

Growling softly between her jaws, "Bare your throat to the clan!" The Dragga snarled in response, clinching down tighter, Athena felt his blood enter her mouth, slowly the Dragga lifted his head, opening her mouth Athena let him go, and jumped off, laying a heavy paw against his back Athena snarled, "Now bare your throat to your Alpha."

Marrok steps out and addresses the crowd of barking wolves. "This is not the time for childish bickering and power plays. If we do not all fight as a pack, we will surely die and this realm, your home will be destroyed. Is this what you want?" He snaps at the crowd and glares at the one that attacked her baring all his fangs as he walks over to Athena. She is bruised in several places and bleeding from her leg and side. Marrok lets out a sympathy whine for her and licks her side. "Are you ok...Can you not heal?"

Lifting her eyes to meet Marroks blue stare she nods, the Dragga slowly rises his tail between his legs, lifting his throat, Athena backs off and snarls as he limps back into the circle, "See that he is seen by a healer." Her back leg touched the ground, grinding her teeth together, her eyes reflecting the pain that rested in the depths. A small female slowly walked up to her, as the circle broke the pack scattering to gather their families, Athena walked as the female lowered herself to her belly and lifted her throat, Athena growled softly, irritated with everyone, "What is it?" The little female rose, and lowered her gaze, "Please...I'm a healer." Athenas eyes softened as she touched noses with the female, "Then by all means, please bless me with your healing touch."

The little Drappa smiled gently and circled Athena touching her nose to all the areas that bled, whinnying softly in sympathy as she sniffed Athenas white broken leg. Where ever she touched, a light green light shown in that area, the wounds quickly healed. Athena felt her leg snap back into place. Turning her head, "Thank you, you are very good at your talent."